Compare towns
West Bath vs Boothbay vs Harpswell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Bath has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
Harpswell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | West Bath | Boothbay | Harpswell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863Lowest |
3,102 |
5,046Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6Lowest 21% above ME |
56.8±3.9 27% above ME |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
| Harpswell and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| West Bath and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Harpswell and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.9% ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$96,250±$15k 29% above ME |
| West Bath and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
$342,100±$43kLowest 15% above ME |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average |
$1,147±$121 about the ME average |
$1,348±$53Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516Highest 16% above ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,141 3% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31 ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| West Bath and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% ME: 74.3% |
78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 16% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Harpswell and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.